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Liam Wright, who lead the side last week, is out today with an injury picked up from the first Test.
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The exciting 23-year-old Charlie Cale gets a start at No 8 as Rob Valetini moves to the flank.
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Last week’s dynamic back three get another chance to shine and hooker Josh Nasser will make his debut off the bench that is split between five forwards and three backs.
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Wallabies: Wright; Kellaway, Flook, Paisami, Daugunu; Lolesio, Gordan; Slipper (c), faessler, Tupou, Williams, Salakaia-Loto, Valetini, McReight, Cale.
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Replacements: Nasser, Kailea, Alaalatoa, Blyth, Gleeson, White, Donaldson, Pietsch.
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Your Melbourne Match Day 23 🔒
🗓️ Saturday 13 July
🏟️ AAMI Park
🎟️ https://t.co/NSxQMQrqmY
📺 @StanSportAU & Nine#Wallabie pic.twitter.com/ccrcbPvLpn— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 11, 2024
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Two positional shifts, two switches in personnel for Wales.
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Sadly the brilliant Aaron Wainwright is out injured so Taine Plumtree slots into the No 8 position. Big shoes to fill there.
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James Botham joins the back row with Tommy Reffell keeping his place.
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Young Cameron Winnett starts at full-back with Liam Williams and Rio Dyer patrolling the wings. Mackenzie Martin will look to make an impact off the bench.
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Wales: Winnett; Williams, Watkin, Grady, Dyer; B Thomas, Bevan; G Thomas, Lake (c), Griffin, Tshiunza, Jenkins, Botham, Reffell, Plumtree.
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Replacements: Lloyd, Mathias, O’Connor, Hill, Martin, Hardy, Costelow, Tompkins.
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🏴 𝐗𝐕 𝐂𝐘𝐌𝐑𝐔 🏴
The 23 players for the 2nd Test in Melbourne.
👊 Amdani bois!
Full story below ⬇️
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 10, 2024
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Rapture or ruin, which will it be for these fallen giants of world rugby?
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Thanks to a morale-boosting, but still relatively disjointed 25-16 win, Australia know that even a defeat here wouldn’t be a disaster. After all, this is only Joe Schmidt’s second game in charge of a team that was a laughing stock not long ago, and few have expected the Irishman to iron out every kink in such a short space of time.
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For Wales, though, this really is serious business. Eight straight defeats has seen Warren Gatland’s team plummet to an all-time low of 11th on World Rugby’s rankings, below Fiji and Italy, and their supporters will be desperate for some good news.
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Wales were decent in patches last week, with handy performances from Aaron Wainwright (who I’d personally back to get a Lions call next year) and a handful of others. But a more complete show is needed her, especially in the half-back positions and from the tight five.
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The Wallabies won’t be in a giving mood and will be after a clean sweep to get their era off to a promising start. When they clicked seven days ago, they were electric, providing reminders that for all the off field maladies, Australian athletes are still capable of special things on the pitch.
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Loads on the line with this one. Which way do you see it going? Do write in, I’d love to hear from you.
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Kick off at 7:45pm in Melbourne, 10:45 BST.
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Teams and updates to come.
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Important Events
“Our focus this week is to get our turnovers down,” Warren Gatland said.
“That allowed Australia to score some really easy tries at the end.”
I wish he would have focused on Australia’s red zone execution as well. There were a few moments when Australia could have finished the game on their own.
Wales will miss Wainwright on both sides of the ball and it will be interesting to see how his absence will affect Wales’ ability to cut down turnovers.
Yeah. It’s coming down hard! Could that give Wales an advantage?
Rumor has it that it’s raining in MelbourneSam Warburton, on my screen, suggested a rainy match might be to Wales’ advantage.
Dewi Lake is confident his team can end its eight-game losing streak.
I mean, he’s not going to say anything else, is he? Still, it’s good to hear the Wales captain rooting for his team, and there’s absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t win today.
“What this group needs is a win to get off to a good start.” He said.
“Winning is a habit, so once you get that first win, who knows what will happen.”
James Slipper will captain the Wallabies for the 15th time in his illustrious career.
He last led the team in 2021 but the man with 135 Test caps is adamant about staying positive, as he spoke this week.
Slipper to captain Wallabies once again
Veteran James Slipper will take over the captaincy, marking another change in the captaincy.
Liam Wright, who led the team last week, will not be available today after suffering an injury in the first Test.
Exciting 23-year-old Charlie Cale will start at number eight with Rob Valetini moving into the wing.
Last week’s dynamic back three will get another chance to shine, with hooker Josh Nasser making his debut off the bench in a squad split between five forwards and three at the back.
Wallaby: Wright; Kellaway, Flock, Paisami, Daugunu; Lorecio, Gordon; Slipper (c), Fessler, Tupou, Williams, Salakai-Loto, Valetini, McCright, Cale.
Substitutes: Nasser, Kailea, Alaalatoa, Brice, Gleeson, White, Donaldson, Pietsch.
Melbourne Matchday 23 🔒
🗓️ Saturday, July 13
🏟️ AAMI Park
🎟️ https://t.co/NSxQMQrqmY
📺 Stan Sports AU & Nine#Wallaby pic.twitter.com/ccrcbPvLpn
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 11, 2024
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Gatland makes four substitutions as he aims to level series
Wales made two position changes and two personnel changes.
Unfortunately, with the incredibly talented Aaron Wainwright out through injury, Thane Plumtree will take over at number eight, leaving a big gap to fill.
James Botham will join in the back row, with Tommy Reffell retaining his place.
Youngster Cameron Winnett will start at fullback with Liam Williams and Rio Dyer on either wing, while Mackenzie Martin will be looking to make an impact off the bench.
Wales: Winnett, Williams, Watkin, Grady, Dyer, B Thomas, Bevan, G Thomas, Lake (c), Griffin, Tsinza, Jenkins, Botham, Leffel, Plumtree.
Replacements: Lloyd, Mathias, O’Connor, Hill, Martin, Hardy, Costelloe, Tompkins.
🏴 Happy Leap Day 🏴
The 23 players who will play in the second Test in Melbourne.
👊 Amdani Boys!
Read the full story below⬇️
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 10, 2024
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🏴 Happy Leap Day 🏴
The 23 players who will play in the second Test in Melbourne.
👊 Amdani Boys!
Read the full story below⬇️
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 10, 2024
preamble
Daniel Gallant
Will it mean joy or disaster for these giants of rugby?
Thanks to a morale-boosting, but still relatively uneven, 25-16 victory, Australia know a loss here wouldn’t be a disaster – after all, this is only Joe Schmidt’s second game in charge of a team that was a laughing stock until recently, and no one expected the Irish to fix all their flaws in such a short space of time.
But for Wales, this is a real problem: eight straight losses have seen Warren Gatland’s team slumped to their lowest ever position in the World Rugby rankings, 11th, below Fiji and Italy, and supporters will be desperate for some good news.
Wales played reasonably well in places last week, with some fine performances from Aaron Wainwright (who I’m personally rooting for next year’s Lions squad) and a few other players, but they need to be more complete, particularly at half-back and in the tight five.
The Wallabies are in no mood to give up and will be looking for a clean win to make a promising start to their era. They were fired up when they were in good form seven days ago, reminding them that despite all their woes off the field, the Australian players are still special on the pitch.
There’s a lot riding on this. What do you think? Please write, I’d love to hear your opinion.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm in Melbourne, 10.45am BST.
Upcoming teams and updates.
